Managing network identities

Abstract

Techniques for managing network identities include generating, with a local computing system, a tree structure representing a network comprising a plurality of entities, the tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes representing an entity of the plurality of entities, at least one entity of the plurality of entities is represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes; assigning a unique identifier to each node; identifying each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node; and transmitting, to a remote computing system, the tree structure, the unique identifiers for the protected nodes, and identity information of the entities for the unprotected nodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing network identities, the method comprising:
 generating, with a local computing system, a tree structure representing a network comprising a plurality of entities, the tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes representing an entity of the plurality of entities, at least one entity of the plurality of entities is represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes; 
 assigning a unique identifier to the each node, wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node comprises:
 generating a number by combining an identification number of the entity associated with the each node and identification numbers of entities associated with nodes along a full path from a root node of the tree structure to the each node according to the position of every node along the full path; and 
 encrypting the combined number to obtain the unique identifier; 
 
 identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node, wherein a mapping of each unique identifier to information about the entity associated with the each node associated with the unique identifier is maintained in memory; and 
 transmitting, to a remote computing system, the tree structure, the unique identifiers for the protected nodes, and identity information of the entities for the unprotected nodes. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node further comprises:
 assigning a unique number to the each node based on an order that a user of the remote computing system expands the nodes of the tree structure. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system has permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being an unprotected node. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system does not have permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being a protected node. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one entity represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes is associated with at least one protected node. 
     
     
       6. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 generating, with a local computing system, a tree structure representing a network comprising a plurality of entities, the tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes representing an entity of the plurality of entities, at least one entity of the plurality of entities is represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes; 
 assigning a unique identifier to the each node, wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node comprises:
 generating a number by combining an identification number of the entity associated with the each node and identification numbers of entities associated with nodes along a full path from a root node of the tree structure to the each node according to the position of every node along the full path; and 
 encrypting the combined number to obtain the unique identifier; 
 
 identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node, wherein a mapping of each unique identifier to information about the entity associated with the each node associated with the unique identifier is maintained in memory; and 
 transmitting, to a remote computing system, the tree structure, the unique identifiers for the protected nodes, and identity information of the entities for the unprotected nodes. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node further comprises:
 assigning a unique number to the each node based on an order that a user of the remote computing system expands the nodes of the tree structure. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system has permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being an unprotected node. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system does not have permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being a protected node. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one entity represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes is associated with at least one protected node. 
     
     
       11. A system of one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising:
 generating, with a local computing system, a tree structure representing a network comprising a plurality of entities, the tree structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes representing an entity of the plurality of entities, at least one entity of the plurality of entities is represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes; 
 assigning a unique identifier to the each node, wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node comprises:
 generating a number by combining an identification number of the entity associated with the each node and identification numbers of entities associated with nodes along a full path from a root node of the tree structure to the each node according to the position of every node along the full path; and 
 encrypting the combined number to obtain the unique identifier; 
 
 identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node, wherein a mapping of each unique identifier to information about the entity associated with the each node associated with the unique identifier is maintained in memory; and 
 transmitting, to a remote computing system, the tree structure, the unique identifiers for the protected nodes, and identity information of the entities for the unprotected nodes. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein assigning a unique identifier to the each node further comprises:
 assigning a unique number to the each node based on an order that a user of the remote computing system expands the nodes of the tree structure. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system has permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being an unprotected node. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the each node of the plurality of nodes as being a protected node or an unprotected node comprises:
 determining that a user of the remote computing system does not have permission to view identity information of the entity associated with the each node; and 
 identifying the each node as being a protected node. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one entity represented by more than one node of the plurality of nodes is associated with at least one protected node.